Planning a trip to Comerica Park

**DWright5** · 04-23-2012, 11:41 AM

Hey all,

My friend and I are planning a road trip and we're gonna stop off in Detroit to see your Tigers play. We are very excited and are hopeful that we catch Justin Verlander.

I just wanted to ask for any tips or suggestions you guys may have, especially places to eat. I think we will be in Detroit for 2 dinners, so any good suggestions?

We are staying in the area of Detroit near Comerica, and prefer to stay in that area since we have never been to Detroit and are not sure which areas are safe.

I heard about Pegasus in Greektown, can anyone vouch for that place? Any other restaurant recommendations would be great!

Thank you for your help!

**dadair6** · 04-23-2012, 12:23 PM

Greektown has plenty of restaurants in a couple block area, you can't go wrong there. If you like deep dish pizza, try Pizza Papalis across from Pegasus.

Where exactly are you staying? The lark is less than 10 minute walk to Greektown and it's a very safe walk.

**John_Brian_K** · 04-23-2012, 12:35 PM

Everything surrounding the area of Comerica Park is plenty safe....especially during game time...even a few hours before or after.

There are plenty of good choices for food, but Greektown is probably the best area for food. All of the casinos have fine dinning options if that is your thing as well as The Renaissance Center off the river.

If you like Mexican food we have Mexican Town, but you would need a cab ride to get there if you are close to Comerica. There are some good choices there. There are a TON of REALLY good restaurants in the surrounding areas as well, but again you would need to take a cab. Royal Oak has a nice area for walking around and eating etc, but is about a 15 minute ride from Downtown. It is a yuppy type area, but a good spot for walking around and eating/shopping.

I live in Dearborn, MI and cannot say enough good things about that area. If you like Arabic food you will get no better in the Middle East than you will in Dearborn (I have eaten it in both places), but that is about a 30 minutes ride.

You really cannot go wrong just staying in Greektown and walking to the game. Just follow the crowd.

**tigerfanfromchicago** · 04-23-2012, 02:03 PM

Anywhere within downtown has been pretty safe in my experience. You'll encounter quite a few panhandlers, though, especially at night. If you're lucky, you'll meet one who calls himself Papa Smurf.

Pegasus is fine, but for the money, I'd go to one of the smaller places across the street. The wait will be shorter elsewhere too. The pasty shop right there is good as well. Make sure you go to at least one of the two Coney Island hot dog places at the intersection of Lafayette and Michigan. I'm partial to Lafayette, but you can try both it and American if you have time and like chili dogs enough.

I hope you enjoy your stay. I've made the trip every year for a decade now, and I look forward to going back every year.

**Crikker** · 04-23-2012, 03:07 PM

Here's a thread I started a couple years ago. You might find some information that will help. Great people on here with great answers. You came to the right place.

Detroit Hotels

**MSUBrian11** · 04-23-2012, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by DWright5

Hey all,

My friend and I are planning a road trip and we're gonna stop off in Detroit to see your Tigers play. We are very excited and are hopeful that we catch Justin Verlander.

I just wanted to ask for any tips or suggestions you guys may have, especially places to eat. I think we will be in Detroit for 2 dinners, so any good suggestions?

We are staying in the area of Detroit near Comerica, and prefer to stay in that area since we have never been to Detroit and are not sure which areas are safe.

I heard about Pegasus in Greektown, can anyone vouch for that place? Any other restaurant recommendations would be great!

Thank you for your help!

Layfyette or American Coney Island (20 minute walk from the park). They have been on the food channel and stuff, must go if you're visiting. And you better be staying a couple blocks from the park, the rest of the city is a dump.

**DWright5** · 04-23-2012, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by tigerfanfromchicago

Anywhere within downtown has been pretty safe in my experience. You'll encounter quite a few panhandlers, though, especially at night. If you're lucky, you'll meet one who calls himself Papa Smurf.

Pegasus is fine, but for the money, I'd go to one of the smaller places across the street. The wait will be shorter elsewhere too. The pasty shop right there is good as well. Make sure you go to at least one of the two Coney Island hot dog places at the intersection of Lafayette and Michigan. I'm partial to Lafayette, but you can try both it and American if you have time and like chili dogs enough.

I hope you enjoy your stay. I've made the trip every year for a decade now, and I look forward to going back every year.

What 2 smaller places across the street from Pegasus? We're really looking to stay in that area by the park and not stray too far. So more specific restaurant suggestions would be good.

Thanks!

**John_Brian_K** · 04-24-2012, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by DWright5

What 2 smaller places across the street from Pegasus? We're really looking to stay in that area by the park and not stray too far. So more specific restaurant suggestions would be good.

Thanks!

There is a place called the Laikon Cafe that is pretty good IMO. If you like steak there is a small steak house called Monroe Street Steak House that is right there as well. You could walk right by it and not know it is there....it is pricy for these parts, but living in NY I am sure it will seem cheap to you.

There is a BBQ place called Red Smoke right there also, but is not that great for the prices IMO. If you have not had a burger from 'Five Guys Burgers and Fries' I HIGHLY recommend it. The burgers are REALLY good and VERY cheap.

**Oblong** · 04-24-2012, 09:36 AM

There's a lot of places to eat in Greektown. It's like a real city.

Detroiters go nuts over it, people from other cities just go "meh"....

**Shelton** · 04-24-2012, 10:16 AM

I lived downtown for about three months during the summer about seven years ago, so I don't know how much has changed. It might help to know which hotel you have chosen.

Just go to Pegasus. It's been around for a long time and it's easy.

Detroit brewing company is a brew pub that has good beer.

Small Plates may have closed but I think I heard it re-opened.

There are too many bars to list, but jacoby's is one that I like a lot.

The greektown casino will be near where you are staying and is right by Pegasus.

You will have a good time. The city is not a dump and is plenty safe.

**John_Brian_K** · 04-24-2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Oblong

There's a lot of places to eat in Greektown. It's like a real city.

Detroiters go nuts over it, people from other cities just go "meh"....

The food is alright in Greektown. The steaks suck IMO, but the lamb with potatoes is AMAZING....it really is.

I will tell this story until I die because I find it funny:

A few years ago on one of our trips to NY we decided to try out Katz deli...because it is famous and all. You are hearded in like sheep and while we were being herded my wife mentions something to a guy standing next to us....he says 'yeah the place is crazy with all the tourists...noone from NY eats here'...she asks where he is from and he says NY of course.

Anyway we get our cornbeef sandwiches with 2 drinks and have to sit next to a dingy disgusting homemade awning to a bathroom at a picnic type table with a bunch of other strangers...we had to clear the table because it was filled with left over paper plates with half eaten food. I finally get to bite into my sandwich and did not like it at all...SUPER fatty. I am a HUGE corn beef fan, cornbeef hash for breakfast when we go out for breakfast and cornbeef sandwiches from the deli by my work all the time and of course a whole slab of corn beef on St Patricks day.

So I was bummed out because it was not good and didn't even finish the sandwich.....we get up to the front to pay...we hand over our ticket and it comes to 37.00 for 2 sandwiches and 2 drinks.

I can get a full, huge corn beef sandwich on an amazing onion roll at 4-5 different delis by my work and home for about 8.00 and it is amazing. Shredded lean corned beef, with a great swiss.

And people from Chicago typically go nuts over their Chicago style pizza....while you wait for an hour for the pizza to cook you better call the EMS for the cardiac arrest you go into after eating just one slice of that doughbomb.

I could go on and on. I have heard from many people that the Philly cheesesteak in Philly is gross.

**dabeave** · 04-24-2012, 10:23 AM

I ate at the Bucharest Grill for the first time earlier this season. It's a block from the Fox Theater. Very good Chicken Schwarma (sp). I think it was $4.25 They have quite a few local breweries on tap in the bar as well. I had an Atwater for $5. It can be crowded at game time, but nice place. Cash only establishment though.

The building was meant to be a skyscrapper back in the 30's, but the great drepession stopped it. The pillars inside are huge, meant to support a tall building, not the 2 stories it really is. Next door to it, there is a brick facia(?), supported by I-beams. Strange to see a 6 or 7 story single layer brick wall with no building attached.

Cliff Bells is next door to that. I have not had it, but have heard the brunch is very good.

The Detroit Brewing company is on Broadway. I've had several meals there that have been good.

The Grand Trunk Pub (Foran's Irish pub) - is a bit away from Comeria (about a mile), across near Compuware. It has the most microbrews in downtown that I know of.

If you want a city view, and fine dinning, go to the Rennisance Center in the resturant '42 Degrees. Up there, you can see why detroit is called a wagon wheel, where the roads all meet at 1 point.

**John_Brian_K** · 04-24-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Shelton

I lived downtown for about three months during the summer about seven years ago, so I don't know how much has changed. It might help to know which hotel you have chosen.

Just go to Pegasus. It's been around for a long time and it's easy.

Detroit brewing company is a brew pub that has good beer.

Small Plates may have closed but I think I heard it re-opened.

There are too many bars to list, but jacoby's is one that I like a lot.

The greektown casino will be near where you are staying and is right by Pegasus.

You will have a good time. The city is not a dump and is plenty safe.

I used to hang in Greektown at least once a week for about 3-4 years straight. We still go down once a month or so to play poker and eat. Of course we try to get by there and hang during the summer baseball games and old sheleigh for St Patricks day just about every year.

I have never once had a problem.